Apparatus for regulating the strength of electric currents for medical purposes



M. NICOLETIS. APPARATUS FOR REGULATING THE STRENGTH 0F ELECTRIC CURRENTS FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES.

APPLICATION FILED .IULY I7, I918.

Patented May 4,1920.

MINDS NICOLFQTIS, F PARIS, FRANCE.

APPARATUS FOR REGULATING- E STEEEIGIH OF ELECTRIC CURRENTS FOE MEDICAL PURPOSES.

Application filed July 17,

To (4U ""hOl/b it may concern:

Be it known that T, MlNos NIooLn'rIs, a citizen of the Republic of France, and a resident of Paris, F rance, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Regulating the Strength of Electric Currents for Medical Purposes, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for regulating the strength of a continuous, alternating or other electric current for medical purposes.

For the purpose of periodically altering the strength of a current as is desirable for medical purposes, apparatus according to this invention comprises a resistance and clock driven mechanism for periodically and automatically varying the resistance combined if desired with mechanism which periodically and automatically breaks and makes the circuit.

In the accompanying drawing, in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the electric circuit employed. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view showing the timing mechanism for regulating the resistance in the circuit. Fig. 3 shows a curve illustrating the varying strength of the current. Figs. 4, 5 and 6 show perspective views of different forms of resistance that may be employed.

in Fig. 1, 1 and 1 are the terminals, 2 is a hand switch, 3 is a milliampere meter, 4, 1 are terminals to which the wires of the electrodes 5, 5 to be applied to the patient, are connected; 6 is a regulating resistance which together with the switch 7 is periodically and automatically operated by means hereinafter described with reference to Fig. 2; 8 is a regulatingresistance operated by hand. All these apparatus as well as the patient are electrically coupled in series by means of conductors 9.

Referring to Fig. 2, 10 is a clock movement (provided for example with a fan governor) which drives a shaft 11 provided with a crank 12. The movement of rotation of the shaft is transformed into a reciprocating movement by any suitable mechanism. As illustrated a connecting rod 18 reciprocates a rod 1 1 in fixed guides 15 the rod 1 1 rocks the shaft 16 through the intermediary of a rod 17 slidable in the guide "pecificaticn of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1920.

1918. Serial No. 245,061.

18 fast with the shaft 16; this rocking moven'ient amplified at the shaft 19 by means of the segmental gear 20 engaging a pinion fast on shaft 19.

The rock shaft 19 operates the regulating resistance 6 (see also Fig. 1). The ampli tude movement of the shaft 19 may be regulated by modifying the length of the arm of the crank 12 which is mounted in a screw slide 21.

All movement may be stopped by means of a stop 22.

The automatic switch 7 in Fig. 1 takes the form in Fig. 2 of a disk 23 provided with an insulating sector 21; this disk is mounted on the shaft 11 and is located between contacts 25, 25 which when the crank 12 is at one of its dead points are upon the insulating sector 2% at which point the resistance (5 is at its greatest. It may be desired that the current should increase slowly, and then diminish more rapidly in conformity with present day ideas on the method of excitation eXerted upon the muscles by the nervous centers. To obtain this result a spring such as 26 is provided which tends to bring the parts into the positions corre sponding to the dead points above mentioned and therefore has for effect to oppose the clock movement when the resistance 6 is decreasing in value and therefore the strength of the current becoming greater and to aid the clock movement when the resistance 6 is increasing in value and therefore the strength of the current becoming less.

The strength of the spring 26 may be adjusted by the device 26 Fig. 3 gives an example of curve of cur-- rent strength whica is obtainable with the apparatus shown in Fig. 2: the point 27 corresponds to that at which the switch 7 switches in current. Current strength increases from 21 to 28 while the crank 12 is making a half turn passing through one or the other of the dead points. The curve shows that from 27 to 29 and from 30 to 28 when the crank is near to one of its dead points, the strength of the current does not increase so fast as from 29 to 30. The portion 2831 corresponds to the other half turn of the crank; it will also be seen that for this half turn the curve comprises when the crank is near to one of its dead points two less steep parts 2832 and 83-31; further it will be seen that the descent 28--3l is steeper than the ascent 2728 this being due to the spring 26 as has been explained. The point 31 corresponds to that at which the switch 7 momentarily breaks current; the current curve will be repeated as before the time period for the curve being for example several seconds.

By arranging the shaft 19 vertically, one of the liquid resistances shown in Figs. l, and 6 may advantageously be employed as the regulating resistance.

Referring to Fig. 4:, 32 is an annular re-- ceptacle formed of insulating material; it is div; led by a rertical radial wall of insulatin material and contains ordinary water which conducts badly; is a fixed electrode and 35 is an electrode connected to the centrally arranged shaft 19 also shown in Fig. 2.

heferring to Fig. 5, which is similar to at, there are two resistances placed concentrically and coupled electrically in series, 36 being insulation.

Fig. 6 shows a quadruple resistance constructed on the same principle; the four partial resistances are placed concentrically and coupled electrically in series, 37 being insulation.

The regulating resistances shown in Figs. 4@ to 6 have the advantage that with small bulk they possess very large resistance; they may be contained in the apparatus v 'thout largely increasing either weight or volume, the water being of course emptied when the apparatus is transported. T hey are strong and require little maintenance, while there is no need for great cleanliness, as they dip freely into water and so always provide a surface sui'liciently great for the passage of the current.

This type of resistance is equally suitable for the hand resistance 8 as for the auto matic r sistance 6.

Claims:

1. Apparatus for regulating the strength of electric currents for medical purposes, comprising a circuit including electrodes to be applied to the body of a patient, a rogu la .g resis ance, and clock' driven mechanism automatically varying the resistance, substantially as described.

Apparatus for regulating the strength of electric currents for medical purposes, comprising a resistance, a clock driven shaft, and means driven by the shaft for reciproeating a mechanism which continuously varies the lr-nlSfflllW, substantially as described.

3. lipparatus for regulating the strength of electric currents for medical purposes, compi 'ng a circuit including electrodes to be app ed to the body of a patient, a regulating resistance included in said circuit, clock driven mechanism for automatically rarying the resistance, and a spring cooperating with the clock driven mechanism to modify the action of the same.

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in combination with automatic means for interrrugting the current when the resistance is at its maximum value.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim l, in cinnbination with means for varying the amplitude of the travel. of the mechanism which varies the resistance.

In tcstimony whereof I have signed this speci licati on.

MINos NIcoLnrIs.

iVitnesscs JOHN F. SnroNs, GASTON DE Mns'rRAL. 

